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James Ward first round

James Ward gives his Wimbledon press conference following his 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(11) 7-6(4) first round loss to Yen-Hsun Lu.

Q. Must be pretty devastated. Could have been there for you.

JAMES WARD: Yeah, couple of points, isn't it, throughout the whole match? As you can see from the score, three tiebreaks out of four sets, one being very long, it could have gone either way.

Credit to him. He played well on those big points and sort of just got through.

Q. Seemed pretty peeved about some the decisions with the line calls.

JAMES WARD: Yeah, no excuses, but when there is a bad call, there is a bad call. There seemed to be a few more against me today.

But sometimes it goes for you; sometimes it doesn't. That's about it.

Q. It was a bit strange because it's a show court, but it's got no Hawk Eye or anything like that. Do you think that should be expanded for the rest of the courts?

JAMES WARD: I'm sure in time. We saw a big plan of what they're planning to do or the next few years. I mean, it'll reach the outside courts as well.

Q. Do you think it's a disadvantage playing on that?

JAMES WARD: No, it's not a disadvantage because a lot of other guys in the draw play out there. Not just me. A lot of other players sort of get by, and, again, have some bad calls against them. Sometimes they wind up winning; sometimes they don't.

It's not an excuse and not the reason why I lost the match today.

Q. It's been a pretty miserable day for the Brits, apart from Andy Murray. You put up a fight. You must take some positives from that.

JAMES WARD: No, of course I'm going to fight. It's Wimbledon. You're at home. Why would you not fight and give everything?

It was a massive prize at the end of it to play Andy in the next round, which everyone was talking about before. But I knew he was a tough player and someone that played well on grass in the past. It wasn't just guy 70 in the world and people would say it's a decent chance.

I've also played well on the grass the last couple years. As I say, he's a good player. Sort of just was a little bit too much on those big points today.

Q. Can you sum up the general picture today for the Brits?

JAMES WARD: I haven't followed much because I was just getting ready for my match. I think I've been out there quite a while. Just saw Andy and congratulated him. I didn't even know if he won. I just guessed it.

Q. You and he were the only two that won a set today.

JAMES WARD: Okay. It's not for me it comment. I didn't watch the matches, so it's a tough one to comment on.

Q. You set yourself up to win your 13 break points and couldn't convert them. Is that a sort of frustration as well?

JAMES WARD: Of course you're frustrated. But you know, if you really go back point by point of those I don't remember exactly all of them, but I remember five or six that he served to the line. It was a good serve. He didn't give me too many looks at second. Just two chances towards the end of the fourth set, I think. At 15-40 and I had a couple second serves.

That was my best chance and I didn't take it. But before that, credit to him. He produced big tennis on the big points.

Q. Will you watch Andy's game on Wednesday and think, that could have been me?

JAMES WARD: Well, of course, because I've lost today and if I'd won I would be playing on Centre Court. It would have been nice.

Obviously it's tough to think about now. I'm just wishing Andy well and hoping he gets the job done.

Q. How do you think Lu will get on against Andy Murray?

JAMES WARD: I mean, Andy Murray is the No. 2 in the world and he's a class player, so I'm sure he's heavy favorite and I'm sure he'll get the job done.

Q. How do you reflect on the summer? Missed opportunities at Queen's, missed opportunities today. Any positives?

JAMES WARD: Of course. I was lucky to get three chances to play main draws in the last three weeks. As you've seen, I've played some tough players. Berdych at Queen's went on and made semis last week at Eastbourne. And Bernard Tomic last week.

So not the easiest of draws. Who has also made quarters here. Good grass court players as well. It's not just you think you get a wildcard and you're going to get an easy draw. Doesn't always happen.

It's positive because I've been close in every match and had chances to win two of those matches. Not against Bernie, but the other two matches. So positives, and look forward to playing this level the rest of the summer and see where my ranking end.

If I can stay fit and healthy. I missed a lot of time with my broken wrist. That's the goal, and that was the goal at the beginning of the year.

I've get to six months and I'm okay, so the second six months is where I'm going to push on.

Q. Will there be any communication between you and Andy tomorrow?

JAMES WARD: I don't know. If wants to know anything, I'll be happy to help him. He's pretty clever when it comes to working guys out, as you can see. I'm not too sure he'll need my advice.

Q. Any pitfalls he should watch out for?

JAMES WARD: I think his forehand is a little bit it's not as solid as his backhand. His second serve can get a bit shaky.

But, again, on those big points he didn't show those faults as he has done sometimes in the past. But as I said, credit to him. Today he produced.

Q. Which challenger is next?

JAMES WARD: Going to go to the states, play Granby, Lexington, Vancouver, Aptos, week off of practice because there are no challengers in the States before the US Open quallies. Four weeks in a row pretty packed schedule.

Yeah, done really there in the past. Made final of Lexington; won Vancouver. Couldn't defend it least year because of my wrist.